·The Assistants asked that 15 minutes of our Teaching Center time be devoted to Headquarter referrals. We are to work from the top down and to contact within 5 minutes of the request. If your contacts are progressing, they should already be meeting with the local missionaries.

·Sister Risenmay requested that the sisters get a flu shot. It is not mandatory, but is highly suggested.

·Sacrament Meeting Coordinators asked that those interested in speaking or performing musical numbers at local ward’s sacrament meetings to please sign up with them.

Roleplay: Sister Mark and Sister Sine

They taught us how to effectively teach a member who like to talk a lot and still have the spirit present and obtaining a referral.

Sister Rogers from the Relief Society General Board gave our lesson today.

Sister Rogers

Sister Rogers conveyed the love of the General Relief Society Presidency. She spoke of how we are all so closely related. She had her DNA taken to find out her ancestry and she had ancestors from places that she had no idea. Following are points from her lesson.

·Relief Society is a work of salvation

·Missionary Work is a work of salvation

·Both make covenants which are a two-way commitment and will strengthen our will and determination

·Promises to God mean a lot

·A covenant is an expression of God’s love for us and our love for God

She shared with us some of her pioneer heritage in Nauvoo. In the spring of 1844 things were getting worse for the saints. June 20, 1844 Joseph Smith called the Twelve home and on June 27, 1844, Joseph Smith was martyred. The next two-years things continued to get worse. The outlying saints were called in and preparations were made to leave Nauvoo. Leaving in winter, they were strung out all across Iowa. In 1845-1846 the saints were in terrible trouble, still they were going to the temple to receive their endowments. Brigham Young was only getting four hours of sleep a night. From December through February some 5000+ saints received their endowments to sustain them in the trials that were to come. It was their spiritual preparation, gave them joy, comfort and felt a tremendous amount of strength. She has six ancestors buried at Winter Quarters.

Every country and family has pioneers who have been sustained by covenants they make with the Lord. Sisters shared examples from their countries.

·Sister Engmann told how Ghana closed all meeting houses. However, the government couldn’t close the hearts of the saints. They continued to take the sacrament in their homes.

·Sister Steffensen (Norway) It took 18 hours to get to the temple from her home. Her father knew the way as he had traveled it many times. When they were traveling to the temple for her to receive her endowment, there was construction on their usual route. They were required to take a detour that caused them to be 30 minutes late arriving at the temple. They were frustrated with the delay. They later found out that if they had arrived at the expected time, rather than 30 minutes late, they would have been involved in a horrible fatal accident.

·Sister Mark (UK) Her mother is from Kenya and was the first family to join the church. She met her future husband who was a non-member. She started questioning her faith, but remained firm. Now her husband, brothers and sisters along with many others have been baptized.

Sister Rogers (Relief Society General Board Member) told of her mother passing away after five years with Alzheimer’s disease. She took great comfort in the temple covenants. She also told of a Sister Manuela who committed to keeping covenants. Her siblings were members of the church. When Sister Manuela began investigating the church, her siblings were concerned about her capability to pay her tithing as she was taking care of her parents on a school teacher’s salary. Most of that income with to caring of her parents. She began crocheting and selling the items she made which allowed her to pay her tithing and support her parents.

Covenant keepers find a way to keep covenants. Each covenant is designed to help us love God and Christ more and to become closer to them. Keeping covenants is also designed to help us become more like Christ.

In 1842 the Relief Society was organized to make a contribution to the temple. The idea was to provide food and clothing to the help support the builders. Eliza R. Snow was asked to write the constitution. Joseph Smith said it was the best ever written, but he had something better in mind for the sisters. The Relief Society was organized to prepare the sisters to receive the temple covenants. That is our legacy. The sisters were challenged to keep their covenants after their mission, to help build their wards and branches and to work in unity with the priesthood. God loves his daughters and has made it possible for us to have many spiritual blessings.

Closing Hymn: #249 Called to Serve – the departing sisters came up front